Pillow Talk
by silverkat1620
Summary: This is never gonna work."


Pillow Talk

Disclaimer - These characters do not belong to me. If they did I'd be rich (which I'm not), and there would be far more macking on screen (which there's not).

**Pillow Talk**

"This is never gonna work." Theo says flatly, eyeing the pile of blankets and pillows that Lily and Fran have dragged out to the middle of the loft.

"What's never gonna work?" Lily's voice is innocent, and she looks up from where she kneels, straightening the ever-growing makeshift bed/nest. She looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, and Theo is thankful that he's known her for years, or he might actually buy that.

"Your plan. The one you're working on right now. The one you want me to participate in. It's never gonna work."

Lily drops out of her crouch to sit, and makes a gesture to the cushion in front of her. Theo uncrosses his arms, and sits, facing her. They lean forward simultaneously.

"Theo."

"Lily."

"Theo."

Theo matches her determined look, and ups her a raised eyebrow. Lily huffs, and sits back. Theo nods slightly in acknowledgement of the victory. "You realize that you're taking advantage of an unfortunate situation, right?"

Lily looks at him like he's accused her of kicking a puppy. "I'm not taking advantage, I'm encouraging growth. I would never create a bad situation. I just think that since Lumintrocity isn't terrorizing anyone anymore, and the city hasn't fixed the power grid yet, we should use the blackout for something good."

"You think you can get something good out of a seven-foot tall electric eel on steroids feeding off the city's power?"

"Yes. If it stops them moping, or gets the ball rolling, or both then I think it's a good idea."

"Lily."

"Theo."

"_Lily_."

"_Theo_."

Theo rolls his eyes. "Could we not do that again? It's makes me feel like I'm five."

"How many times have I asked you to do something you truly did not want to do?"

"Three."

Lily blinks, "I counted two."

"Three."

Lily's forehead creases in thought, and Theo suppresses a smile; it would send entirely the wrong message. "First Year when we tried to sneak into Master Mao's office," at that Theo shudders slightly. Master Mao rarely lost his temper, but when he did it was a sight to behold. All they'd really been after was the Dragon shaped paperweight on his desk. Proof that they'd completed Jarrod's dare. Theo was never sure that deserved a punishment of having to clean all of the Academy bathrooms. Twice. For three months.

Lily notices the shudder, and holds back her own as she continues, "Second Year, when we rigged the Third Year's showerheads," this time Theo _does_ smile, but only because it's that or laugh outright. There had been a particularly inventive bully in the year ahead of them who'd enjoyed picking on anybody shorter then five-and-a-half feet. Or Theo, if one wanted to be specific. It had been Lily's idea to rig bright orange dye packs to the showers. Morris had looked like a six foot tall orangutan for three days, and no one had ever had proof that the two of them were anywhere _near_ the showers.

"That's two…" Lily's voice trails off, and Theo can practically _see_ her trying to remember. He definitely sees when she comes up blank. She frowns, and shrugs, "I count two."

"And tonight. Three." Theo nods, and starts climbing to his feet. Lily reaches out to grab his wrist, and yank him back down.

"Theo, I need your help. You have to stay."

"Why?"

"Because. If you're not here there's no guarantee that we can get R.J. and Casey to stay!" Lily says exasperated.

"Lily, it not going to work," Theo reiterates.

"It is going to work! All they need is a shove in the right direction. Hints don't work, and they're both to darn stubborn to live, and Fran and I are just about out of ideas, and I am going out of my mind!" Lily is close to shouting, and Theo leaps forward to cover her mouth before she gets loud enough that the two in question come looking to see what's the matter.

Lily's eyes are wide, and she's breathing hard, moist and warm against Theo's palm. "Shhhhh. You'll never forgive yourself if you ruin your own plan before it even begins." Theo removes his hand, and Lily smiles at him. Theo ignores the impulse to lean forward and see if it tastes as sweet as it looks.

Instead he sits back, sighs, closes his eyes, and says, "If anybody knees, kicks, elbows, or otherwise damages me, I will not be held responsible for my actions."

Lily squeals and tackles him backwards into the blankets. He reaches up and tickles her ribs, and her squeal transforms to a shriek of laughter. She reaches for his vulnerable point (the back of his neck), and the battle is on.

"Did you guys decide to start without us?"

R.J.'s voice rings out, stopping them immediately, Lily on her back in the nest of blankets, and Theo in mid pounce over her. Casey is standing beside R.J. at the railing of the kitchen, and the unintended implications of that statement cause Lily to crack up. The sight of her rolling slightly in the blankets, laughing wildly makes Theo grin so big he can feel his cheeks begin to ache.

Fran comes up the stairs from JKP, with Dom right behind her, to find Casey and R.J. staring pole-axed at the two Rangers in the dojo. She smiles at Dom, and gets an answering grin in return, before clearing her throat to draw the attention of the tiger and the wolf.

"Thanks again R.J., for letting me stay here tonight."

R.J. shakes his head a little and smiles brightly at her, "Not a problem, Fran. After everything you've done for us, room and board for a couple of days doesn't seem like too big a deal."

"Oh thanks, R.J., but I don't mind, really. And well, _you guys are my friends_." She stresses the last sentence slightly, and hopes that the two men in front of her don't notice.

Lily, hearing her cue through her hilarity, sits up and clears her throat. "Yeah! Which is why we had an idea!"

The group in the kitchen turns toward the loft. Fran moves around R.J. to the stairs, and down to make a space for herself on Lily's other side in the blanket nest. Dom follows, swinging an arm around Casey's neck to drag the cub along as well. Dom picks up on his cue, and dutifully says the line Fran had grilled into him two minutes before. "Idea? What kind of idea?"

"Well, it's just that with the power being down because of Lumintrocity, Fran and I thought we'd just camp out here in the dojo."

"Yeah! And that all of you could join us too! Make it real sleep over, you know?"

"I'm in." Dom's answer and grin are aimed straight for Fran as he makes himself comfortable in the nest beside her.

"Good! Theo?"

Lily, Dom, Fran, Casey, and R.J. all turn to Theo; three faces expectant, two curious.

Theo sighs, hugely. "Yeah. I'm in."

Casey feels eyes on him and turns to find Lily looking at him with a question in her eyes. He grins, "Sure. Why not?" He plops down next to Theo, and nudges him in the side. "Do you kick?"

Theo looks so appalled at the suggestion that Casey laughs out loud. Theo huffs indignantly and lies down with his back to Casey.

Casey laughs again and Lily sees Theo grin brightly. She too lies down so that she's facing Theo. Fran is spooned behind her and when Lily cranes her neck she can see that Dom is spooned behind Fran. Lily turns back toward Theo, and sees R.J. getting comfortable beside Casey. Casey is facing away from R.J., so Lily can see both their faces clearly. Casey looks nervous, and sick, and thrilled like he's about to go on the best rollercoaster ride ever, and R.J. looks… calm.

For a second Lily wonders if everything she's based this on was ever really there, when R.J., balanced on one elbow, reaches out to touch Casey and stops himself. For just a moment his face is painted with a longing so fierce, that Lily feels her breath catch in her throat. Then the moment is past, and R.J.'s head disappears behind Casey's.

Lily leans forward, and touches her forehead to Theo's. His eyes open, and she puts her lips to his ear. "It's totally going to work."

Theo smiles at her. "Lily?"

"Theo?"

"Go to sleep."


End file.
